Cushing Mahan-class destroyer

cushing off puget sound navy yard, bremerton – 1936

uss cushing reported pacific fleet in august 1936, after navy service began. joined unsuccessful search missing earhart during month of july 1937. moved on san diego training exercises, continuing operate along west coast next several years. cushing under overhaul @ mare island navy yard when japanese struck pearl harbor. following attack, did convoy duty between west coast , pearl harbor, , later operated off midway island on anti-submarine patrol. in august 1942, cushing sailed pearl harbor training exercises , later joined operations around guadalcanal.

with task force 61, cushing took part in bitterly contested battle of santa cruz in october 1942. outnumbered, force stalled japanese advance toward guadalcanal. @ battle of guadalcanal, cushing perhaps first ship strike enemy on november day in 1942. in fighting followed, sustained several hits amidships , began lose power, able fire 6 torpedoes local control @ japanese battleship hiei. in book, destroyer operations in world war ii (1953), theodore roscoe said, “ 3 of “fish” seemed hit bulls-eye; if did, tack-hammer thumps. may have exploded prematurely. hiei s lookouts must have seen them coming, big ship swung bow left , lumbered westward, disappearing smoke-haze.”

by time, cushing dead in water, easy target repeated enemy shelling. results disastrous , order given abandon ship. 6 officers , 53 men lost. of survivors rescued, 56 had been wounded , ten of them suffered fatal injuries. abandoned ship remained afloat until magazines blew up. cushing received 3 battle stars world war ii service.